Page 39 of Tainted Romance

“So, you’re kicking me out.” I looked at mom, then to Alpha Harris. “And you're expecting me to move in here.” Then I twisted to look at Taylor. “And you ignored me because you felt bad. So, did one of you ever think about what I might want?”

I didn’t want to move into the pack house. I didn’t want to be thrown out of my home, and I really didn’t like being treated like an invisible blob by Taylor.

“Allie, I can’t have you staying with me anymore. What you did has embarrassed me within the pack and affected my friendships. I need you to move out.” Mom finally met my eye.

“So, you aren’t just throwing me out of home, you are also disowning me?”

“It isn’t like that,” Alpha Harris spoke up. “Allie, it will give your mom and you a break, not to mention everyone loves living at the pack house.” He smiled kindly.

“Well, I’m not everyone, am I?” I crossed my arms and swung around. They could say what they wanted, but the real reason I didn’t want to move into the pack house was because the thought of living with Zane literally killed me inside.

“Allie, before you walk out that door, I am going to tell you nicely, you can either move in here willingly, or I will have to order you to.”

My grip on the doorknob tightened, and I wished I was of age already and could leave this pack and all the people behind.

“Well, then I guess I don’t have a choice.” I pulled the door open, and I knew it was immature, but I slammed the door behind me anyway.

Just be polite, Allie. I gritted my teeth, and no matter how many times I repeated it to myself, I still was struggling not to say something smart ass back at Alpha Harris as he showed me around the pack house.

It wasn’t like I hadn’t been here before, but he was taking it upon himself to bore me with every little detail of the house.

“So, any questions?” he asked as we came to a stop outside my new room.

“No, thank you.” I politely smiled and twisted the doorknob to my new prison cell.

“I’ll see you tonight then at the dinner.” He shot me a smile before walking away.

Alpha Harris was a nice guy, and I knew there was only one real reason I couldn’t like him, and that was because he reminded me too much of Zane.

Speaking of Zane, I hadn’t seen or stumbled across him yet. Thank God for that.

Moving in here was embarrassing enough, let alone Zane watching me do it. I didn’t know what he would think about me now living in the same house as him. Maybe he would think I was stalking him or something.

The last thing I needed was Zane thinking I was following him around. I closed my bedroom door and began to unpack.

I can’t believe mom threw me out, or as she says, ‘asked me to leave.' How could she do that to her own daughter?

Opening a box, the first thing I pulled out was a picture of dad and me. Immediately, my heart filled with sadness. If dad was here, this wouldn’t be happening. The tears started to roll down my cheeks, and once they started, they didn’t want to stop.

Hours passed and, instead of unpacking or doing anything productive, I just laid on my bed feeling hollow. I never really got upset, but today I was just a wreck. My heart had been frozen, bitten by all the memories that passed through my mind.

All those memories floating around dad.

There was a knock on my door, and before I could sit up and wipe my eyes, the door flung open.

“I thought you were here,” Zane’s voice cut through the air.

“What the hell are you doing in here?” The words tumbled out all jumbled together.

“I live here.” He flicked on the lights, and I automatically shielded my eyes. “The real question is why the fuck are you here depressing up my house?”

“Depressing?”

“I’ve felt sad for no reason all afternoon, and for some darn reason, this depression wouldn’t go away. It wasn’t until I walked past the door and picked up on your scent that all my questions were answered.”

“So, you’ve come in here to yell at me for making you sad?” I scoffed and sat up. “You really are cold-hearted.”

Zane’s eyes ran across my face, and I could feel a shift in his attitude. “You really are upset?”

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